Girdle



Oct. 5 1926. 1,602,005

` J. FEIG GIRDLE Filed Dec. 16, 1924 Patented Oct. 5, 1926.

UNITED-'STATES VPATENT OFFICE..

JULIA FEIG, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

Application filed Decembe This invention relates to GIBDLE.

a novel and improved construction of girdle designed for the purpose tions of the confining the figure so and shapely outline contour of body which it of giving support to the porencompasses and as to secure a trimy and appearance to the buttoc is, hips and abdominal portions of the body ofthe wearer,

tlie'waist, if desired.

The primary object of provide a girdle which provided with means adapting justed to hold the aforesaid portions of the` without discomfort to the to give to such the body a proper outline contour body shapely wearer and so as and pleasing effect. i further object also to the invention is to is so constructed and it' to be adportions of and a trim of the invention is to p rovide a girdle which will serve as a shaping form over which the outer garments of the wearer will ht in suoli manner as to give to the figure of the wearer and the dress or outer garment, of whatever style worn,

the

desired straight line eifect irrespective of any peculiarities of shape of the body of the is worn, without causing convenience to the wearer.

A still further object of the the portions of wearer over which the girdle discomfort or' 1nto provide a girdle which is simple of vconstruction, easy of application and removal,

adapted to and without harmful effects,

be worn with maximum comfort andwhich re- 'the number of lacings or other adjustable fastenings required, so as to avoid bulkiness of appearance at any l point. Y

il. still further object of the invention is to provide a. girdle to the fori which may be so shaped above and below the hip line as to be selfmsupporting against any possibility of casual slipping of the wearer'.

ln the accompanying drawing l l is a front perspective view of a- Figure up or down on the person girdle constructed in accordance with my invention, the same being to be worn.

Figure 2 'is an inner outspread. j

Figure 3 is a detail section 3--3 of Figure 2.

shown as arranged face view of the girdle ony the line Referring lnow more particularly to the drawing7 the girdle comprises a back section ing the full depth thereof and shown so as to impart to rsaid section a vdestuds C on the meeting edge of the otherv lnon-reinforced lower drawn inwardly r. 1e, 1924.y serial No; 756,252.

dle, to extend from a point at or adjacent to desired distance be- This section A the waistline down to a low the curves of the hips.A

'is made of fabric or other'suitable flexible but non-elastic material, and may be provided with flexible bones or stays A extendsii-ed degree of stiffness, while allowing it to have ample flexibility to conform to the shape of the portions of the body against which it lies. 'i

The front sections B and C are adapted to overlie the front of the figure between the center line of the abdomen andthe groin lines and, like the back section A, are of unitary construction and made of fabric or other suitable inelasticbut flexible material; and the front, or meeting edges of these sections B and C are provided withA suitable fastening means for connecting vthem 'together and holding the garment in girdle form about the person. `Such fastening means may be of a type to be readily engaged and disengaged, and such for example as that shown, to wit, loopsl B on the meeting section to engage headed front section, Each front section is provided with a reinforced upper portion and a portion, secured by providing such section with flexible vbones or stays C2. Y These bones or stays, as shown, extend from the upper edge 'of the section downwardly to a point adjacent to or somewhat below the medial horizontal line of the section as shown at C3. By this construction the upper portions of the sections B and C are flexiblyreinforced to adapt them to conform to' the protuberant contour of the upper portion of the abdomen and to give effective support thereto, while the lower portions of said sections are left without stays and freely flexible so as to be readily 'to conform to thershape of the receding lower portionV of the abdomen.

The elastic sections D are made ofelastic webbing or other suitable elastic material.

the buttocks Y arranged as rihey are arranged to extend over the groins and front portions of the sides of the hips, between the rear edgesv .of the respective front sections and the front edges of the hip portions of the bach section, and to connect said sections so as to permit the garment to be extended for application tothe person and then, by re-action of said elastic sections,'to be contracted to draw the fastened garment closely and snugly about the person. ris shown, each elastic section D is in the form of a continuous piece of material of a length to extend the full depth between the upper and lower edges of the garment, being permanently united at its front edge to the rear edge of the contiguous front section and permanently united for a distance at the upper portion of its rear edge to the upper portion of the edge ofthe front section with which it connects, as hereinafter fully described. Preferably each elastic section tapers slightly in al longitudinal direction between its lower Vand upper ends, making the upper portions of said elastic sections somewhat less elastic. than the lower portions, so

i as'to give greater resistance to the extension of theupper portion of the garment fitting over the hips and across the small of the bach and over the protuberant portion of of the abdomen. For the purpose of in creasing this elastic resistance to the eXtension of the upper portion of the garment, l mayalso provide supplementary strips D of velastic webbing or other elastic material eX- ltcmding transversely of the upper ends of the sectionsy D and sewed at their upper edges thereto and 'at their side edges to the edges of the front and bach sections. These supplementary strips may beA of any desired degree of elasticity for a proper 'supplementary or added resistance action. By this construction the greater portions of the elastic sections D are permitted to extend and vcontract with necessary freedom to draw the garment snugly about the body of the wearer, and adapt the same to permit free and easy body movements of the wearer, while the'added resistance to extension-and increased contractive pull exerted by the strips D prevents undue free expansion of the upper margin of the garment, thereby holding the Lipper' ends of the meeting edges of the front sections closely against the body and preventing any tendency of the garment to gape or jut objectionably forward from the rbody at this point, particularly when the wear sits down.

rihe edges of the hip portions of the back section A and rear edges of the elastic intermediate sections vl) lare linedly united, as

atE, at their upper portions for a distance offabout ene-forth, more or less, of their length along lines which extend froinpoints ii'nmediately above thecrests of the hips to the iipper'or waist line edge'of the garment,

but below these fixed points and between the saine and their lower edges are divided or left disconnected to provide separated edges E', said separated edges having holes or eyelets for the passage of adjustable connections, such as lacings F, whereby such separated edges may be adjusted with relation Vvto each other. By this construction the upper portion of the garment above the horizontal line of the divided lower extremities of the lined portions E, which portion of the garment is of less elasticity and expansiibili'- ty than the portion of the garment below, may be definitely formed to snugly and automatically assume the contour of the portion of the body which it encompasses above the hip line without adjustment of laces or other adjusting' means, the elasticity of the contiguous portions of sections D taking up any undue fullness or permitting any necessary expansion of-such portion of the garment, to adapt it to take a snug tit without manipulation of adjusting means, while the aforesaid lower portion of the garment of greater elasticity and expansibility is adapted to be adjusted by the laces along the vertical lines of the sides of the hips to draw upon such lower portion of the garment so as to snugly tit and give a trim contour to the portions of the body which it encompasses. lt will therefore be seen that the said yupper portion of the garment of minor elasticity and expansibility may by its own elasticity assume at the front the protuberant contour of the upper portion of the abdomen and at other points the concaved shape of the body over the hips and around the small of the bach, while the lower portion of the garment of greater or major elasticity and expansi- V bility may be adjusted to conform tothe recedent curvature of vthe lower portion of the abdomen and the convex and compound cuiwatures of the hips, buttocks and groins, and whereby also the lower edge of the portions of the garment'overlying the hips will `be cont acted and entend inwardly below the major point of curva nre of 'the hips, this upper and lower shaping' of the garment thereby ntilizinfr the crest curvature of the hipsl as points or abutinents whereby, in addition to the snug and trim fit secured, the garment will be elfectually held from vertical movement, namely, prevented from shifting upwardly or downwardly on the person of the wearer and causing either discomfort 'or embarrassment. In other words,

the Vdescribed construction of the garment adapts it not only to be fitted to snugly encompass thelportions of the body to which itis applied, land to support and hold suchk portions shaped in order that a pleasing and trim outlinem'ay be'secured, but the garment is rendered self-supporting in position without tlielnecessity of employing additional er extraneous means for the purpose,

lill

iso

Cix

which the outer My improved girdle, constructed as above described, is designed to be used for the purpose ot' providing a shaping form over garments ot'V the ywearer n ay be dra Jed to give' a desired straight line ett'ect to the ligure and especially to the ligues of those persons oi" the 'female ser; having slight tendency to corpulency.

To this end, it is necessary that the girdle be so constructed that the waist portion will maintain its 'form a building out member as against any tendency to cause it to taper or loc-'e its outline shape in its expansions or contractions or under torces caused by motions oi the lower portion ot the girdle in its expanding and contracting movements incident to wal ring movements and other movements ci the lowerliinbs oi tiie wearer,

By perma ently uniting the sections A B-C along the lines E that portion ot the garment which encircles the waist may be given a permanent voutline form, sucli hat the waist-portion ot the girdle will be generally of greater diameter than the wait oi the body ot the wearer, touching the bodyv at the moet protubera-nt parts et the body and standing away from those portions oit the body which recede the most, so that the concaved curvature ot the waist portion ot the girdle will be less than that oit the waist portion ot the body proper, giving, theretore, a vertical or straight line ettect vertically across the waist and between the chest and the hips. ln order to maint-ain this shape it is necessary that such waist-portion ot the girdle be stili enough to be self-supporting, flexible enough to permit bending movements oi the wearer without discomi'ort, and elastic enough to permit of a cer- These requirements are obtained by the pei:-v manent connections E which prevent'independent movements ot the sections A, B and C at their points or" juncture in ther waistportien ot' the girdle, and by the comparative stiness and stability and resistance to buckling ot the adjoining upper portions oit the unitary elastic sections D. rh-e vaddition ot the l is of advantage in c sections 'D this connection in giving increased stillness these points against deformation Aofthe waist portion ot girdle, and such sections l also as stated, give increased resistance to diametric expansion of the girdle so as to hold the upper front ends 01"' the tastened meetingvedges ot the sections B@ drawn in when the wearer sits down, thus preventing piotiusion and gaping at the iront oi the garment. lilhile, as stated, the waist-portion ot the girdle should maintain a lined and definite shape'itor .the straight line effect, it is required that the portion of the girdle below the crests of the hips be made adjustable, in order that the labby iesh over the abdomen, hips and buttocks tain amount of expansion and contraction.Y

may be drawn in torv form reduction and molding into` shape to give as tar as possible straight line eiiiect from the waist downward. rlfhis is permitted by the elassame By drawing uponthee laces, alter the rment has been fitted in position and seemed ly tlie tastenings lliV, that poi tion oi' the dle lying below the line of the crests ot' the hips may be adjusted to snugly iit the body and draw in or mold the surplus vflesh, i oi the elastic sections `from the line oi crests of the hips downward will be stretched and placed under tension, thus holding the .molded portions oi the body elastically con l vWhen so applied it willbe apparent le tenfoned elastic sections will lieep tno girdlev snugly in position while allowing :imple treedom of body movements.. lt will be noted that such adjustment orn the edge portions and ten ning ot thelower portions or the elastic sections D will be permitted without atiiecting in any material manner the shape ot' the waist portion and the portions oi the sections D comprisedtherein, since the line'dconnections at the points E prevent any relative motion between the meeting edges oi the sections A-D above the separated edge portions l. Hence the edge portions E may be adjusted and have relative movements with theV adjoining portions oil the elastic sections D without espandi-i contracting, tapering or otherwise changi .g the form, oi' dimensions ot' the waist portion oi the girdle, so that this portion oi the girdle will maintain its shape while neces;- sary w g motions oi' thel lower portion ot tl e die are freely permitted under body movements oi the wearer. These t'unctional qualiiications oi my stiaightline et feet girdle'could not be obta- 1if the edges oit sections A-D were eej an Y nected by the laces the girdle, toi' theV reason adjustment oit Ythe lower portion oi the gi lie could notbe made withoutI corre; ingly aifiecting vthe waist portion, of the gir T he permanent the ULL

ima

*connectionsA at tliepoints E are also advantageous over separated edges -and connecting);

in which operation the portions lll() lill 'the garment avoids the without inconvenience or the structural formation of the edges E and their lacing' connections permit adjustment of the lower portion or' the garment to place it vunder proper tension, as circumstances may require in individual cases, to cause the girdle to underlie the bases of the hips and thus prevent the garment from working upward on the body or' the wearer.

lt is obvious that a corset embodying the novel and desirable `features of my invention may be produced by extending the upper edges of the girdle upwardly to a desired degree to form a corset structure proper, and this modilication is held to fall within the spirit and scope ot my invention.

From the foregoing description, tal-:en in connection with the drawing, the construction and mode ot use or' my improved girdle will be understood, and Vit will be seen that theinvention provides a girdle having ller;- ible, elastic and inelastic portions, combined with adjustable portions, so arranged as to enable it to be accurately shaped to a desired supporting contour, while adapting it to maintain itself in position without fastening means auxiliary to the garment itself. Also it will be seen that the invention provides a garment in which the leatures mentioned are so combined and arranged as to prevent gapping or protrusion of the garment at any point objectionably beyond the body lines. The construction described further enables a one-piece back section to be employed and the use of back lacings to be avoided, and a reduced number ot' lacings at restricted points to be employed, by which the use oit' certain adjusting means of essential type but liable to protrude and cause bulkiness at points is reduced to a minimum extent, so that a smooth fitting of the clothing over the corset or girdle may be secured and the established outline contour formed by the girdle preserved. It will also be seen that, as use oi non-porous rubber or its equivalents, and is'constructed in the main ot porous fabric and webbing, it may be made light in weight, of sufficient Flexibility and elasticity in character to adapt it to conform readily to the body movements, and to be worn in summer as well. as in winter without causing excessive perspiration, so that the garment may be used at all times discomfort to the wearer.

rIhe garment may be provided with hose supporters G of any suitable type if desired.

Vrated edges of the Having thus fully I claim l. A girdle which encircles the'body between the waistline and the line ot the lower portion ol' the abdomen, said girdle comprising an inelastic back section, inelastic front sections, unitary elastic intermediate sections vertically continuous between the top and bottom edges of the girdle, each intermediate s-ction being' permanently secured at its .trent edge to the rear edge ot the contiguous liront section and permanently secured at its rear edge to the Vfront edge ot the contiguous baci; section along a line extending from a point adjacent to and above the crest of the hip to the upper edge of the garment, the latter-named edges of the intermediate and back sections thence being separated downwardly to and through the lower edge ol the girdle, and laces adj ustably uniting the sepabacl and intermediate sections below their lines of permanent connection.

2. A girdle which encircles the body between the waistline and the line oit the lower portionot the abdomen, said girdle comprising an .inelastic bacl section, inelastic front sections, unitary elastic'intermediate sections vertically continuous between the top and bottom edges ot the girdle, each intermediate section being pcrn'ianently secured at its liront ed 0'e to the rear edge of the contiguous liront section and permanently secured at'its rear edge to the front edge ol the contiguous back section along a line eXtendii/ig trom a point adjacent to described my invention,

and above the crest oiI the hips to the upper edge of the garment, the latter-named edges of the intermediate and bacl sections thence being separated downwardly to and through the lower edge oi the girdle, laces adjustably uniting the separated-edges of the baclr and intermediate sections 1oelow their lines ol permanent connection, and a contractile transverse elastic strip extending across each elastic intermediate section adjacent to and parallel with the waistline and terminally secured at the ends thereof to the contiguous portions oi" the permanently united edges of the intermediate section, said strips elastically reinforcing said intermediate sections to give added resistance to expansion of the upper waist-encircling portion ot the girdle.

In testimony whereo't' I aftir; my signature.

JULIA FEIG. 

